A standard reusable transport/storage box, typically made of injection-molded plastic, has a floor, a pair of upstanding long side walls, and a pair of short upstanding end walls that bridge ends of the side walls. The upper edges of the walls are thickened, typically by forming each edge with an outwardly projecting integral upper flange in turn having an outer edge formed with a downwardly projecting outer flange. The walls are formed as isosceles trapezoids with their larger ends up so that the boxes can be nested.
When such a box is to be provided with a cover it is known as described in German utility model 94 08 377 to provide each of two identical cover panels with a plurality of so-called insert hinges that attach the cover panels to the upper flanges of the side walls. Each such insert hinge has an upper part that is pivoted on the outer edge of the respective cover panel and a downwardly projecting tongue having transversely projecting barbs. The upper flange is formed with throughgoing holes complementary to the tongues so that the tongues of the insert hinges can be forced through the holes until the barbs lock underneath the upper flange, thereby solidly securing the insert hinges to the box rim.
While such a system has the advantage that it is quite easy to retrofit a box with cover panels, which in fact are normally made so they can be separated from the insert-hinge upper parts if desired, it is extremely difficult or impossible to remove the hinges if they are no longer needed or need to be replaced. Prying out an insert hinge normally damages the upper flange and/or the barbs on the tongue.